Trends in Higher Ed Employee Learning and Development

Employee learning and development (L&D) offerings at higher ed institutions have changed significantly over the last three years. To find out what other institutions are doing in this area, Krista Vaught, assistant director of employee learning and engagement at Vanderbilt University, conducted a survey in the summer of 2022. Survey responses from L&D professionals at 115 institutions reveal the following trends in program delivery, attendance, topics and outcomes.

Program Delivery

Since 2020, synchronous online sessions have been offered by most (89) institutions, followed by self-paced modules (85). Some institutions indicated that at certain points, employees were limited to online learning and self-paced only, as they did not host live workshops.

Prior to the pandemic, synchronous, in-person workshops were the primary delivery method at most institutions. Now, synchronous online is the primary method at 35 percent of institutions surveyed, asynchronous online at 30 percent of institutions, synchronous in-person at 18 percent of institutions and hybrid at 17 percent of institutions.

Attendance

Attendance and participation have fluctuated. In the early 2020 shift to remote work, there was a sense that employees had newfound time to pursue L&D, at least initially. From March 2020 to December 2021, 31 percent of institutions surveyed saw increased participation, while 27 percent said it was mixed or hard to tell. Eighteen percent said it increased then decreased, and 17 percent said it decreased.

What did institutions see in 2022? Results were mixed again. Twenty five percent said attendance and participation were about the same as prior to 2022, 23 percent said it decreased, 21 percent said it increased and 27 percent said it was mixed or hard to tell.

What’s causing the fluctuations and challenges in attendance and participation?

• Time and availability
• Burnout
• Increased workload as employees transition back to more on-campus work or take on additional responsibilities because of turnover, leaving less time to pursue learning
• Unsupportive supervisors who see learning as taking away time from work rather than part of work
• Employee preference for different delivery methods (in-person versus virtual)
• Learning opportunities are not always prioritized, resulting in last-minute no-shows

Topics

According to respondents, the most popular workshop topics fall under management and leadership, and wellness and communication.

Assessing Outcomes

Follow-up surveys are the most popular tool for assessing outcomes of workshops, followed by attendance and participation numbers.

Prioritizing Learning and Development 

In the ongoing competition for talent, L&D can be a game changer, both in attracting new talent and retaining the talent you already have. By investing in and prioritizing programs to support managers, develop leaders and promote better communication, institutions can create a workplace that’s hard to leave.

Interested in more data and insights HR pros can use when brainstorming L&D initiatives, making a case for those initiatives, and designing them and assessing them? Head over to the full article, Higher Education Learning and Development Trends in 2022 – Where We Are now and Where We’re Headed (members-only) in the winter issue of Higher Ed HR Magazine.

To learn how one institution launched a multi-faceted retention initiative, including manager and leadership development opportunities, watch the recording of the recent CUPA-HR webinar Solving the Retention Puzzle.

Related Resources:

CUPA-HR Learning Framework and Resources

Management and Supervisor Training Toolkit (CUPA-HR Knowledge Center)

Creating Your Individual Development Plan (E-Learning Course)

Understanding Higher Education (E-Learning Course)